Baseball BULLS IN THE PROS: FORMER USF PITCHERS HAVING STRONG SEASONS

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BULLS IN THE PROS: FORMER USF PITCHERS HAVING STRONG SEASONS

TAMPA, JULY 20, 2018 – Former USF pitcher Tommy Eveld has been one of the California League's top relievers this season.

Selected in the ninth round of the 2015 MLB Draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks, Eveld has a 2.03 ERA in 97 minor league games with 30 saves and 132 strikeouts. Named a A-Advanced California League All-Star for the Visalia Rawhide, the 6-foot-5 righty is 2-2 on the year with a 1.24 ERA and 42 strikeouts. Eveld has five saves with 14 strikeouts and a 0.00 ERA over his last 10 outings. 

Eveld did not begin his career as a USF student-athlete with the baseball program. He came to Tampa as a football player, spending the first three years on the team. It was not until 2015 when Eveld joined Billy Mohl's pitching staff. He appeared in 39 games as a Bull, totaling 92 strikeouts with nine saves in his final year. Eveld has really blossomed into the closer role, as he's currently third in the California League with 12 saves and has issued only seven walks.

Rise of the Phoenix
Two-year USF starter Phoenix Sanders is transitioning to life in the bullpen. Sanders is 5-1 on the year with a 2.44 ERA, three saves and 63 strikeouts playing for the Bowling Green Hot Rods (A-Advanced).

The former Friday night man for the Bulls went just 2-3 in five starts after being drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 10^th round of the 2017 MLB Draft. He already has more strikeouts this season compared to last, having logged almost as many innings.

His strikeout-to-walk ratio was 4:1 in 2017 and he averaged 9.42 K's per nine innings. Now in his first full professional season, Sanders has a 3.71:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio and is striking out 12.85 batters per nine innings.
 

• COCO STAYS HOT: Coco Montes has remained a force in the Pioneer League with the Grand Junction Rockies after being selected by the Colorado Rockies in the 15^th round of this year's MLB Draft. In 30 games, Montes leads the league with a .407 average and 29 runs scored. He has nine doubles, two triples, four home runs and 19 RBI. Following a career season for USF in 2018, the infielder tallied two more multi-hit games last week and now has 14 for Grand Junction. 

Find out how other former USF standouts are faring in pro baseball this season below:
 

Name	Organization	Position	League (Level)	Team	Stats
Austin Adams	Washington	P	International (AAA)	Syracuse Chiefs	0-2, 2.12 ERA, 7 saves, 46 Ks, 29.2 IP. Also on MLB 40-man roster.
Joe Cavallaro	N.Y. Mets	P	Florida State (A Advanced)	St. Lucie Mets	1-1, 5.40, 11 Ks, 10.0 IP. Assigned to St. Lucie on July 7.
Tommy Eveld	Arizona	P	California (A-Advanced)	Visalia Rawhide	2-2, 1.24 ERA, 12 saves, 42 Ks, 36.1 IP
Jimmy Herget	Cincinnati	P	International (AAA)	Louisville Bats	1-2, 3.02 ERA, 47 Ks, 41.2 IP
Brandon Lawson	Tampa Bay	P	Southern (AA)	Montgomery Biscuits	2-1, 4.73 ERA, 25 Ks, 26.2 IP
Shane McClanahan	Tampa Bay	P	Gulf Coast  (Rookie)	Rays	Signed with Rays before the July 6 deadline.
Kevin Merrell	Oakland	SS	California (A-Advanced)	Stockton Ports	Seven-day disabled list. .267, 10 2B, 3 3B, 5 SB, 24 RBI, 62 games
Coco Montes	Colorado	SS	Pioneer (Rookie)	Grand Junction Rockies	.407, 4 HR, 9 2B, 2 3B, 19 RBI, 29 runs, 3 SB, 30 games
Dan Otero	Cleveland	P	MLB	Indians	1-1, 5.60 ERA,  26 Ks, 35.1 IP
Andrew Perez	Chicago White Sox	P	South Atlantic (A)	Kannapolis Intimidators	0-0, 2.25 ERA, 7 Ks, 8.0 IP
Kevin Quackenbush	Cincinnati	P	International (AAA)	Louisville Bats	0-1, 2.45 ERA, 14 saves, 35 Ks, 29.1 IP. Triple-A All-Star.
Phoenix Sanders	Tampa Bay	P	Midwest (A)	Bowling Green Hot Rods	5-1, 2.44 ERA, 3 saves, 63 Ks, 44.1 IP
Peter Strzelecki	Milwaukee	P	Pioneer (Rookie)	Helena Brewers	2-1, 5.40 ERA, 2 saves, 12 Ks, 10.0 IP
Ryan Valdes	Pittsburgh	P	New York-Penn (A-Short Season)	West Virginia Black Bears	0-0, 3.78 ERA, 1 save, 14 Ks, 16.2 IP
David Villar	San Francisco	3B	Northwest (A-Short Season)	Salem-Keizer Volcanoes	.275, 4 HR, 8 2B, 12 runs, 16 RBI, 20 games